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HAA 372 World Cities: Cairo, Mother of the World
Mark DeLancey
This course will examine the urban development and architectural heritage of Greater Cairo, Egypt since the reconstruction of the fortress of Babylon in the Roman period, through the establishment of Cairo itself in 969, and until the present. Cairo has always been a crossroads of cultures, set between Africa, Europe, and the Middle East. It has been home to significant Jewish, Christian and Muslim populations who have been impacted by the various ruling dynasties who have held sway there, including the Byzantines, early Islamic rulers, Tulunids, Shi'i Fatimids, and later Sunni Ayyubids, Mamluks, and Ottomans. In the 20th century, rapid expansion has produced extreme pressures on transportation networks and housing. The solution to such problems of intense urbanization has been to build satellite cities including a projected new capital to the east that will connect the Nile to the Red Sea shipping industry, following in the footsteps of the past.
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HAA 375 World Cities: 500 Years of Mexico City
Delia Cosentino
This exhibition highlights the broad development patterns of the great City of Mexico, from its origins as the island capital of the Aztec Empire to its sprawling contemporary contours. Featured elements include significant architectural additions and other urban structures such as plazas and avenues that help to shift the orientation of the city and its life over time. This Neatline map shows how the traditionally West-facing city which was once contained to the original island in the middle of Lake Texococo grows in all directions over time, especially towards the end of the 19th century with the addition of the Paseo de la Reforma connecting the historic center with Chapultepec. In the 20th century, the seismic growth of modernism helped to shift Mexico City's orientation towards the south, with developments such as the University City (UNAM) located in the rocky outrcrop in the southern basin, the pedregal.
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HAA371 Historic Catholic Church Architecture of Chicago
Paul B. Jaskot
“Historic Catholic Church Architecture of Chicago” used the Omeka/Neatline environment to study the architecture of a number of Catholic churches in Chicago and the effect they have had on the politics, culture, and social aspects of the city. Prof. Jaskot used this help his students “…think about the religious buildings as extensions of the city’s history, while emphasizing the contributions of and conflicts with its various immigrant groups.”